Fireproof floor construction.



EMIL UFENAST, OF ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.

FIREPROOF FLOOR CONSTRUCTION.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1l, 1908.

Application filed 0ctober-23, 1906. Seriall No. 340,137.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL UFENAST, a citizen of Switzerland, residing inthe town of Zurich, Switzerland, have invented a new Improved FireproofFloor Construction, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a hollow beam made of burnt clay andbuilt up of several pieces or bricks for the construction of ceilings,in combination with iron insertions and cement mortar. Such beams beingmade before they are inserted between the iron beams of the ceiling canbe handled as a whole so that supports in putting them in place are notnecessary.

The beam may advantageously be made of a length varying from one to fourmeters. By laying the beams side by side a continuous ceiling is formedwhich may be immediately used and loaded. In order to pro'vide for thetensional strains which tend to bend the beam, the latter is armoredwith longitudinal iron rods or insertions which, as is known, may bevery highly loaded in tension. The compressional strains, on the otherhand, are taken up by the hollow bricks which possess a comparativelyhigh compressional resistance.

Cement mortar serves well for binding the several bricks with the ironinsertions, for as is well-known, this mortar unites intimately bothwith brick and iron. The abutting joints, that is to say the jointsbetween the separate bricks of which the beam is built up, are alsofilled with cement mortar.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of whichFigure 1 is azlongitudinal section through a beam 5 Fig. 2 is a plan ofseveral such beams laid side by side to constitute a ceiling; Fig. 3 isa cross section through a beam drawn to an enlarged scale, and Fig. 4 isa longitudinal section of the beam also drawn to an enlarged scale.

The beam, which may be of any suitable length, is built up of one ormore suitably formed hollow bricks 1 having internal spaces 2 andperforations or channels 3 and 4. The spaces 2 serve for deadening soundand at the same time diminish the weight of the brick.

The lower perforations 3 are for the reception of the iron insertions 8which are to take up the tensional strain. At their outer ends, rods 8are bent over the ends of the beam and are then turned inward intoperforations 2, to prevent longitudinal displacement of the rods beforethe ducts 3 have been filled with cement. The upper perforations 4 arealso for the reception of iron insertions 9 which, are also turnedinwards at their ends and are only intended to give the beam greaterstrength, so as to facilitate its transport and handling; theseinsertions therefore do not need to be of any great strength. The sides5, Fig. 3, of the brick l are channeled and diverge downwardly, so thatthe upper surface 6 is somewhat narrower than the lower surface 7. Owingto this construction, when the beams are laid side by side to constructa ceiling, longitudinal channels are formed between them into whichcement is poured. For the better adhesion of this cement, the sides 5are fluted as shown in Fig. 3. If necessary, iron insertions can also beintroduced in the said longitudinal channels to increase the solidity ofthe structure.

When the iron insertions 8 and 9 have been introduced into therespective perforations, the latter are filled up with cement mortar.The abutting joints 12 are also filled with cement and as soon as thelatter has set and dried, the beam is ready for use.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is 1. A fire proof floor construction, comprising a seriesof hollow tiles having upper and lower perforations, upper and lowerrods engaging said perforations, and a cement filling surrounding saidrods within the perforations, substantially as specified.

2. A fire proof Hoor construction, comprising a series of hollow tileshaving upper and lower perforations, upper and lower rods engaging saidperforations and having bent ends that extend into the hollow bodies ofthe flanking tiles, and a cement filling surrounding the rods within theperforations, substantially as specified.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

EMIL UFENAST.

Witnesses A. LIEBERKNnoI-IT, J KRAUER.

